While a variety of data storage mediums are available, magnetic tape remains a preferred forum for economically storing large amounts of data. In order to facilitate the efficient use of this media, magnetic tape will have a plurality of data tracks extending in a transducing direction of the tape. Once data is recorded onto the tape, one or more data read heads will read the data from those tracks as the tape advances, in the transducing direction, over the read head. It is generally not feasible to provide a separate read head for each data track, therefore, the read head(s) must move across the width of the tape (in a translating direction), and center themselves over individual data tracks. This translational movement must occur rapidly and accurately.
In order to facilitate the controlled movement of a read head across the width of the media, a servo control system is generally implemented. The servo control system consists of a dedicated servo track embedded in the magnetic media and a corresponding servo read head which correlates the movement of the data read heads.
The servo track contains data, which when read by the servo read head is indicative of the relative position of the servo read head with respect to the magnetic media in a translating direction. In one type of traditional arrangement, the servo track was divided in half. Data was recorded in each half track, at different frequencies. The servo read head was approximately as wide as the width of a single half track. Therefore, the servo read head could determine its relative position by moving in a translating direction across the two half tracks. The relative strength of a particular frequency of data would indicate how much of the servo read head was located within that particular half track.
While the half track servo system is operable, it is better suited to magnetic media where there is no contact between the storage medium and the read head. In the case of magnetic tape, the tape actually contacts the head as it moves in a transducing direction. Both the tape and the head will deteriorate as a result of this frictional engagement; thus producing a relatively dirty environment. As such, debris will tend to accumulate on the read head which in turn causes the head to wear even more rapidly. Both the presence of debris and the wearing of the head have a tendency to reduce the efficiency and accuracy of the half track servo system.
Recently, a new type of servo control system was created which allows for a more reliable positional determination by reducing the signal error traditionally generated by debris accumulation and head wear. U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,384, issued to Albrect et al. on Nov. 19, 1997, introduces the concept of a timing based servo pattern, and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
In a timing based servo pattern, magnetic marks (transitions) are recorded in pairs within the servo track. Each mark of the pair will be angularly offset from the other. Virtually any pattern, other than parallel marks, could be used. For example, a diamond pattern has been suggested and employed with great success. The diamond will extend across the servo track in the translating direction. As the tape advances, the servo read head will detect a signal or pulse generated by the first edge of the first mark. Then, as the head passes over the second edge of the first mark, a signal of opposite polarity will be generated. Now, as the tape progresses no signal is generated until the first edge of the second mark is reached. Once again, as the head passes the second edge of the second mark, a pulse of opposite polarity will be generated. This pattern is repeated indefinitely along the length of the servo track. Therefore, after the head has passed the second edge of the second mark, it will eventually arrive at another pair of marks. At this point, the time it took to move from the first mark to the second mark is recorded. Additionally, the time it took to move from the first mark (of the first pair) to the first mark of the second pair is similarly recorded.
By comparing these two time components, a ratio is determined. This ratio will be indicative of the position of the read head within the servo track, in the translating direction. As the read head moves in the translating direction, this ratio will vary continuously because of the angular offset of the marks. It should be noted that the servo read head is relatively small compared to the width of the servo track. Ideally, the servo head will also be smaller than one half the width of a data track. Because position is determined by analyzing a ratio of two time/distance measurements, taken relatively close together, the system is able to provide accurate positional data, independent of the speed (or variance in speed) of the media.
By providing more than one pair of marks in each grouping, the system can further reduce the chance of error. As the servo read head scans the grouping, a known number of marks should be encountered. If that number is not detected, the system knows an error has occurred and various corrective measures may be employed.
Of course, once the position of the servo read head is accurately determined, the position of the various data read heads can be controlled and adjusted with a similar degree of accuracy.
When producing magnetic tape (or any other magnetic media) the servo track is generally written by the manufacturer. This results in a more consistent and continuous servo track, over time. To write the timing based servo track described above, a magnetic recording head bearing the particular angular pattern as its gap structure, must be utilized. As it is advantageous to minimize the amount of tape that is dedicated to servo tracks, to allow for increased data storage, and it is necessary to write a very accurate pattern, a very small and very precise servo recording head must be fabricated.
Historically, servo recording heads having a timing based pattern have been created utilizing known plating and photolithographic techniques. A head substrate is created to form the base of the recording head. Then, a pattern of photoresist is deposited onto that substrate. The photoresist pattern essentially forms the gap in the head. Therefore, the pattern will replicate the eventual timing based pattern. After the pattern has been applied a magnetically permeable material such as NiFe is plated around the photoresist pattern. Once so formed, the photoresist is washed away leaving a head having a thin film magnetic substrate with a predefined recording gap.
Alternatively, ion milling is used to form a first layer having a relatively large gap. A pattern of photoresist is applied in an inverse of the above described pattern. That is, photoresist is applied everywhere except where the timing based pattern (gap) is to be formed. Ion milling is used to cut the gap through the first layer. Then an additional layer of the magnetically permeable material is deposited by plating over the first layer and a narrow gap is formed into this layer by the above described photolithographic process. This approach produces a more efficient head by creating a thicker magnetic pole system.
While the above techniques are useful in producing timing based recording heads, they also limit the design characteristics of the final product. In the first method, only materials which may be plated can be utilized, such as NiFe (Permalloy). Generally, these materials do not produce heads which have a high wear tolerance. As such, these heads will tend to wear out in a relatively short time. In addition, this class of materials have a low magnetic moment density (10 kGauss for NiFe), or saturation flux density, which limits their ability to record on very high coercivity media.
The second method also relies on plating for the top magnetic layer and is therefore limited to the same class of materials. In addition, the use of ion milling makes the fabrication of such a head overly complex. The photoresist pattern can be applied relatively precisely; thereby forming a channel over the gap. However, the traditional ion milling technique is rather imprecise and as the ions pass through that channel they are continuously being deflected. Conceptually, in any recording gap, so cut, the relative aspect ratios involved prevent a precise gap from being defined. In other words, this is a shadowing effect created by the photoresist and causes the gap in the magnetically permeable material to be angled. Generally, the sidewalls of the gap will range between 45°-60° from horizontal. This introduces a variance into the magnetic flux as it exits the gap, resulting in a less precise timing based pattern being recorded onto the servo track.